Efficient energy recovery in disk drive during power loss

ABSTRACT

A back electromotive force of a rotating motor is converted into a voltage for a load by driving, in accordance with a duty cycle, at least one switching circuit that couples the back electromotive force to a load through a rectifying circuit. An error signal is generated that is a difference between the load voltage and a reference voltage. The duty cycle is controlled as a function of the error signal to cause the load voltage to approach the reference voltage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/039,724, filedSep. 27, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments involve a method of converting a back electromotiveforce of a rotating motor into a voltage for a load by driving, inaccordance with a duty cycle, at least one switching circuit thatcouples the back electromotive force to a load through a rectifyingcircuit. An error signal is generated that is a difference between theload voltage and a reference voltage. The duty cycle is controlled as afunction of the error signal to cause the load voltage to approach thereference voltage.

According to some implementations, a power back-up system includes atleast one rectifier. The system includes at least one switching circuit,the at least one switching circuit configured to couple a backelectromotive force from a disk drive rotating motor to a load throughthe at least one rectifying circuit. The system includes a pulse widthmodulator configured to drive the switching circuit according to a dutycycle. The system includes a control system comprising error circuitryconfigured to determine a difference between a load voltage and areference voltage and a feedback controller configured to control theduty cycle as a function of the error signal to cause the load voltageto approach the reference voltage.

Some embodiments involve a memory system that includes a disk drivecomprising a motor. The system includes a non-volatile cache. A powerback-up system comprises at least one rectifier and at least oneswitching circuit, the at least one switching circuit configured tocouple a back electromotive force from a rotating motor to a loadthrough the at least one rectifying circuit. The system includes a pulsewidth modulator configured to drive the switching circuit according to aduty cycle. The system includes a control system comprising errorcircuitry configured to determine a difference between a load voltageand a reference voltage and a feedback controller configured to controlthe duty cycle as a function of the error signal to cause the loadvoltage to approach the reference voltage.

The above summary is not intended to describe each disclosed embodimentor every implementation of the present disclosure. The figures and thedetailed description below more particularly exemplify illustrativeembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Throughout the specification reference is made to the appended drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram illustrates components of a memoryapparatus according to embodiments described herein;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system capable of generating power in the caseof an unexpected power loss;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that illustrates a method for utilizing anerror signal in the event of an unexpected power loss in a memory systemin accordance with various implementations;

FIG. 4 shows a method for completing shut-down tasks in the event of anunexpected power loss in accordance with embodiments described herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates the magnitude and the time that a loading voltage canbe sustained following an unexpected power loss with systemsexperiencing three different temperatures and utilizing the same type ofcontrol system;

FIG. 6 shows the magnitude and the time that a loading voltage can besustained following an unexpected power loss for four different systemsat a nominal temperature utilizing different types of control systems;and

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the magnitude and the time that a loadingvoltage can be sustained following an unexpected power loss for the samefour systems as in FIG. 6 at a hot temperature and a cold temperature,respectively.

The figures are not necessarily to scale. Like numbers used in thefigures refer to like components. However, it will be understood thatthe use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is notintended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the samenumber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

During a controlled power loss in a memory system, e.g., when anoperating system directs the memory system to shut down, the memorysystem will ensure that various tasks are completed before the power isremoved. For example, the system may move a read/write head away from adisk, and store data in a non-volatile memory, for example, before thepower is removed from the memory system. However, in some cases, thepower may be removed from a memory system unexpectedly, leaving verylittle time to deal these tasks. Energy from a rotating motor of thememory system may be used to provide power to complete the shutdowntasks. As the complexity of memory systems increases, more tasks areperformed upon a power loss.

The auxiliary power harvested by the motor during an unexpected powerloss may not be sufficient to move the read/write head to a safelocation and accomplish all of the other tasks. As more power demandsare placed on a hard drive after power is lost, the memory system runsinto danger of not having adequate power available for the memory systemto perform all of the tasks. Furthermore, this problem is may beamplified in situations where the motor performance deteriorates in hotand/or cold temperatures. For example, a grease may degrade with heat,and subsequently at cold temperatures it may be difficult to move theread/write head over the grease ridge that forms due to the colddegraded grease on the actuator.

The amount of power available to complete these tasks can be enhanced byincreasing the energy harvested from the motor. As disclosed herein,harvesting energy from the rotating disk can be accomplished by afeedback control system. The back electromotive force generated by themotor can be routed to supply voltage to a load through switchingcircuitry controlled by an error signal of the feedback control system.

In reference now to FIG. 1, a block diagram illustrates components of amemory system 100 that includes a power back-up system 125 according toembodiments described herein. It will be appreciated that this and otherembodiments may be described herein as a memory system that includes ahard drive for purposes of illustration, and not of limitation. Someimplementations may involve memory types other than hard disk drives, ormay involve multiple types of memory such as flash and hard disk memoryused together in a hybrid drive.

The apparatus 100 includes circuitry 102 that is coupled toelectromechanical components 114, 118. The circuitry 102 includes a datacontroller 104 that controls a number of functions of the apparatus 100,including communications between the apparatus 100 and a host device 106via a host interface 107. The host device 106 may include any electronicdevice that can be communicatively coupled to store and retrieve datafrom an HDD, e.g., a computer. The data controller 104 may carry outwrite commands by formatting the associated data into sectors with theappropriate header information, and transferring the formatted data viaa read/write channel 108 to the data storage surface of a disk 110. Thecontroller 104 may provide analogous functions for read commands, e.g.,determining the location of the desired data, moving the heads to thelocation (track) of the data, reading the data from the disk 110 via theread/write channel, correcting any errors and formatting the data forthe host 106, etc.

The read/write channel 108 converts data between the digital signalsprocessed by the data controller 104 and the analog signals conductedthrough read/write heads 112. The read/write channel 108 also providesservo data read from the disk 110 to a servo controller 116. The servocontroller 116 uses these signals to drive an actuator 118 (e.g., voicecoil motor, or VCM) that rotates an armature 120, upon which theread/write heads 112 are mounted. The heads 112 are moved radiallyacross different tracks of the disk(s) 110 by the actuator motor 118while a spindle motor 114 rotates the disk(s) 110. The data controller104 controls the spindle motor 114 by way of a motor controller 122. Apower back-up system 125 harvests energy from the rotation of thespindle and disk. Upon emergency power loss, mechanical energy from thespindle motor is converted to electrical energy that is supplied to aload comprising circuitry that perform shut-down tasks. The motor servesas a generator and provides auxiliary power in the event of power loss.In the event of a loss of external power, energy from the power back-upsystem can be used to implement the various shut-down tasks. Forexample, the shut-down tasks can include powering the VCM to move thearmature 120 so that the heads 112 are positioned (parked) in a safelocation away from the disk(s) 110, among other tasks.

According to various implementations, the 100 includes a non-volatilecache 130 for the disk. In some embodiments, the non-volatile cache 130can serve as a back-up data cache in the event of power loss.Additionally, the non-volatile cache 130 can serve as a read cache orwrite cache for the primary memory of a memory apparatus. Inimplementations that use a read or write cache, a magnetic disk mayserve as a primary memory which has greater storage capacity but sloweraccess times than the non-volatile cache, for example. The memoryapparatus 100 may comprise a tiered memory device such as a hybriddrive, which can use one or multiple levels of caching. In a hybriddrive, the primary memory may comprise a nonvolatile memory such asmagnetic disk, magnetic tape, and/or optical disk and the cache maycomprise solid state flash memory, and/or other type of memory. The datacontroller 104 can be arranged to write data to the non-volatile cache130 in response to a power loss. Additionally or alternatively, theremay be other data management events that occur in the event of a powerloss. For example, the value of various system state parameters can bestored in the back-up cache 130. When power returns to the system 100following a power loss, the system state parameters and/or data can beretrieved from the non-volatile cache 130 and used to restore the system100 to its pre-power loss condition.

During an expected power loss, e.g., when the operating system directsthe system to shut down, the system completes various shut-down tasks ina power loss sequence which is not time constrained because power isremoved after the power loss sequence has been completed. For example,in an expected shut down, a power-loss sequence may be employed toensure that the read/write head in the memory system is in a safelocation away from the disk and that all read/write operations currentlybeing executed are completed.

An emergency shut down occurs when power is unexpectedly lost due to acomputer being suddenly unplugged or a battery being disconnected, forexample. When power is lost, the spindle motor 114, spindle 110 a, anddisk 110 remain spinning based on the inertia of these components, whichwere spinning at the time of the power loss. When this occurs, thespindle motor 114 operates as a generator, generating a voltage(referred to as a back electromotive force, or BEMF) across the spindlemotor windings. The BEMF generated may be used to provide power toperform shut-down tasks such as parking the read/write head and storingdata and/or state information.

According to various implementations, the apparatus 100 uses the inertiaof the spindle motor and converts the rotation of the spindle motor toelectrical energy when an unexpected power loss occurs. The energygenerated from the rotation of the disk as it gradually slows after thepower loss is harvested to maintain a specified load voltage to allowback-up tasks to be completed in the absence of external power suppliedto the system. The electromotive force generated by the rotation of thespindle motor depends on the speed of rotation and the electricalconstant of the motor. Power may be transferred from the spindle motorto the load using a switched rectifier circuit operated by a pulse widthmodulator. By rectifying the back electromotive forces (BEMF) induced inthe phase windings of the motor, a rectified charge current is produced.This charge current can be used to supply power for various shut-downtasks after a power loss occurs.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a power back-up system 200 capable ofharvesting energy from the rotating disk and providing power toaccomplish various shut-down tasks in the case of an unexpected powerloss. For the back-up system 200, the spindle motor, that under normaloperating conditions rotates a spindle (110 a, FIG. 1) with attacheddisks (110, FIG. 1), is operated as a generator 230 to harvest energyfrom the rotation of the disk. According to various embodiments, thespindle motor 230 is a brushless direct-current type motor that, undernormal operation, is driven synchronously by a motor controller (122,FIG. 1). The power back-up system 200 may also include switchedrectifier circuitry 260 that is used to direct the charge currentgenerated by the rotating motor (operating as a generator 230) to a loadrepresented by R_load in FIG. 2. Capacitor 250 provides a filtercapacitor that helps to reduce the ripple effects from the conversion ofan AC to a DC signal. As shown, the switched rectifier circuitry 260 inFIG. 2 includes three sets of switches 266 a-c and three half bridgerectifiers 267 a-c. The switches 266 a-c in the rectifier circuitry 260,which may be implemented as MOSFET transistors, are turned off or ondepending on the rotational position of the spindle and are controlledby pulses from pulse width modulator 270. The pulse width modulator 270is controlled by controller 207, the operation of which is discussed ingreater detail below.

The back electromotive forces, BEMF₁, BEMF₂, and BEMF₃ produced by themotor-generator 230 depend on the rotational phase of themotor-generator 230. The BEMFs, BEMF₁, BEMF₂, and BEMF₃ produce voltagesV₁, V₂, and V₃ at the three-phase output 265 a-c of the motor-generator230. V₁, V₂, and V₃ are sinusoidal voltages having angular frequency, ω,and 120 degrees phase difference. For example, V₁=A sin(ωt), V₂=Asin(ωt−120°), and V₃=A sin(ωt−240°), where A is a constant, ω is therotational frequency of the motor-generator, and t is time.

By changing the duty cycle of each phase's pair of switches 266 a-c forthe half bridges 267 a-c, in synchrony with the motor speed, thevoltage, Vm, can be controlled. The capacitor 250 reduces the ripple ofcoordinated pulses from each phase output 265 a-c of the motor-generator230 according to the pulse width modulated (PWM) signals 270 a-c. ThePWM signals 270 a-c have complex duty cycles and that are suited tomaintain a specified voltage Vm under load. Thus, the MOSFET switches266 a-c for each of the half bridges 267 a-c can be switched on and offby the PWM generator 270 to produce switching signals 270 a, 270 b, 270c having duty cycles that maintain a specified voltage, Vm, to the loadR_load.

When connected to a load R_load, a load current I_load is drawn from thepower back-up system 200, which can cause a decrease in the loadvoltage, Vm. The power back-up system 200 described herein can bedesigned to maintain the voltage Vm to a specified value, e.g., to avalue within a specified percentage of a reference voltage Vref. Theamount of charge current flowing into R_load from the rectifier output260 a is increased or decreased to maintain the voltage, Vm, to withinthe specified voltage range. The increase or decrease in the chargecurrent flowing to R_load is controlled by a control system 207 thatincludes an error detector 280, a synchronizer, 290, and a feedbackcontroller 285.

The error detector 280 detects a difference between Vm and the referencevoltage Vref and provides an error signal, Verr, that is or isproportional to Vref−Vm, to the feedback controller 285. The feedbackcontroller 285, may be a proportional-integral (PI) controller, aproportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, alinear-quadratic-regulator (LQR) controller, an adaptive controller, ormay be any other suitable type of feedback controller that utilizes theerror signal, Verr, to produce a control signal, Ic. Synchronization isaccomplished by multiplying Ic by each of the three sine waves 265 thatrepresent the motor-generator speed and phase for three phases, sin(ωt),sin(ωt−120°), and sin(ωt−240°), where ω is the angular velocity(frequency) of the motor rotation. The duty cycles for each of thesignals 290 a, 290 b, 290 c are the same, but phase-different. Thesynchronized control signals 290 a, 290 b, 290 c are applied to the PWMgenerator 270 and control the PWM outputs 270 a, 270 b, 270 c. The PWMoutputs 270 a, 270 b, 270 c in turn control the switching circuits 266a, 266 b, 266 c of the three-phase rectifier 260. In the synchronizer290, the signals 290 a, 290 b, 290 c are compared to the correspondingcurrents from each phase, represented by I phase, in FIG. 2, todetermine the duty cycles of the PWM.

The load, R_load, may include read/write channel circuitry and/orread/write head actuation devices, and/or other circuitry involved inthe shut-down process. By controlling the PWM outputs 270 a, 270 b, 270c applied to the switches 266 a-b of the rectifier circuitry 260 usingthe control system 207, the amount of time to complete the shut-downtasks is increased. As the load R_load draws more load current I_load,the synchronized control signals 290 a, 290 b, 290 c cause the dutycycle of the PWM outputs to increase to provide more charge current atthe output of the rectifier 260 a to the load R_load. The increasedcharge current serves to maintain Vm within the specified range of Vref.Under lighter loads, the duty cycle of the PWM outputs may be decreasedbecause less charge current is needed to maintain Vm at the specifiedvoltage level. The power back-up system 200 illustrated in FIG. 2maintains the voltage, Vm, that supplies the load, R_load, with enoughpower to complete the shut-down tasks. Power to operate switchingrectifier circuitry 260, pulse width modulator 270, synchronizer 290 andcontrol system 207 may be supplied by the power back-up system 200

The control system 207 is a feedback controller that controls the dutycycle of the PWM signals as a function of the error signal, Verr, andmay implement one or more of proportional control, proportionalderivative control, proportional integral control, proportional integralderivative control, and/or other types of feedback control. Aproportional control system controls the duty cycle in proportion withthe error signal. A proportional derivative control system uses adamping constant multiplied by a derivative of the error signal.

Proportional control may be represented by the equation:

u(t)=K _(p) e(t)  Equation [1]

where u(t) is the controller output, K_(p) is the proportional gain ofthe system, and e(t) is the error as a function of time t.

A proportional derivative control system uses a damping constantmultiplied by a derivative of the error signal. Proportional derivativecontrol may be characterized by Equation [2]:

$\begin{matrix}{{u(t)} = {{K_{p}{e(t)}} + {K_{d}\frac{d}{dt}{e(t)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu}\lbrack 2\rbrack}\end{matrix}$

where K_(d) is the derivative gain of the system.

A proportional integral control system uses an integral gain parametermultiplied an integral of the error signal over time. Proportionalintegral control can be represented by the following equation:

$\begin{matrix}{{u(t)} = {{K_{p}{e(t)}} + {K_{d}\frac{d}{dt}{e(t)}} + {K_{i}{\int_{0}^{t}{{e(\tau)}{d(\tau)}}}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu}\lbrack 4\rbrack}\end{matrix}$

where K_(i) is the integral gain of the system.

A proportional integral derivative controller uses an integral gainparameter multiplied by a damping constant. Proportional integralderivative control can be characterized by the following equation:

$\begin{matrix}{{u(t)} = {{K_{p}{e(t)}} + {K_{i}{\int_{0}^{t}{{e(\tau)}{d(\tau)}}}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu}\lbrack 3\rbrack}\end{matrix}$

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that illustrates a method in accordance withvarious implementations. A back EMF of a rotating motor is converted 310into a voltage for a load. According in some embodiments, the conversionof the back EMF is accomplished by driving, in accordance with a dutycycle, at least one switching circuit that couples the back EMF to aload through a rectifying circuit. An error signal that is a differencebetween the load voltage and a reference voltage is generated 320. Theduty cycle used to operate the at least one switching circuit iscontrolled 330 as a function of the error signal to cause the loadvoltage to approach the reference voltage.

The load voltage provided by the process of FIG. 3 may be used to powercircuitry to complete various shut-down tasks. FIG. 4 is a flow diagramillustrating a process for completing shut-down tasks in the event of anunexpected power loss in accordance with embodiments described herein.Power loss occurs when the voltage of the externally supplied powersource decreases below a predetermined voltage that is needed toreliably operate system components. A power loss to a memory system isdetected 410, e.g., by sensing a voltage decrease of the externallysupplied power. During and/or after the power loss occurs, a back-uppower system is used to provide power to system components for ashut-down operation of the memory system during which one or moreshut-down tasks are implemented. The shut-down tasks may be prioritizedto ensure that more important tasks have sufficient amount of power tobe completed. The shut-down tasks can include actuating 420 one or moreVCMs to move a read/write head to a safety area in response to thedetection of the loss of power. Additionally or alternatively, data inthe data channel of the memory device controller that is in transitbetween the memory controller and the host may be stored 430 to anon-volatile cache in response to the detection of the loss of power.State information for the memory system may be stored 440 in thenon-volatile cache in response as a part of the shut-down process. Otheroptional shut-down tasks include slowing and/or stopping 450 therotation of the spindle motor and disk.

Higher temperatures, colder temperatures and/or temperature cycling canproduce mechanical phenomena that may involve higher energy toaccomplish shut-down tasks. For example, grease may degrade with heat,and subsequently at cold temperatures it may be difficult to move theread/write head over the grease ridge that forms due to the colddegraded grease on the actuator. In applications that usehigh-performance hard-disk drives, a grease ridge can be formed near theouter diameter of the disk where the entrance of the ramp is located.The ramp is the safe location where the head needs to be parked duringemergency retract. This grease ridge is formed when the HDD is operatedcontinuously without any power cycles. The grease ridge is a source ofproblem because it poses additional constraints on the retract process.This problem is exacerbated in cold temperature (0 deg C.) because thegrease ridge, which behaves like an oil substance, gets thicker and theforce require to overcome it increases.

Graphs 510, 520, 530 show load voltage magnitude, Vm, with respect totime, illustrating the time that a load voltage of a power back-upsystem can be sustained following an unexpected power loss. Graphs 510,520, 530 show the load voltage over time for a power back-up system withthe same load under three different temperatures, hot 60 deg C., nominal25 deg C., cold 0 deg C. In this example, the feedback controller usedin the control system was a proportional integral control system. Asshown, the system that was in a nominal temperature environment,represented by the line 510, and the cold temperature environment,represented by the line 520, experienced about the same voltagemagnitude. However, the nominal temperature environment system was ableto maintain the voltage for about a full second longer than the coldtemperature environment system. This longer time period allows for moretime to complete all of the shut-down tasks. The system in the hottemperature environment, represented by the line 530, had a lowervoltage magnitude than the other two systems and experienced asignificant drop in the amount of time that was available to completethe shut-down tasks.

FIG. 6 shows the operation of four different types of power back-upsystems at a nominal temperature under the same load conditions. In thisexample, the system represented by line 640 utilizes a feedback controlhaving an error signal such as a PI control system. Lines 610, 620, and630 show the operation of three comparative power back-up systems thatdo not utilize feedback control. As can be observed, the voltage 640 ofa power back-up system that uses utilizes an error signal for feedbackcontrol maintains a fairly constant voltage magnitude for the entiretime period up until about 2.75 seconds. The voltage 610, 620, 630 ofcomparative systems falls off more rapidly than the voltage 640 of thepower back-up system that utilizes an error-based feedback controller.In addition, line 640 indicates that the power back-up system thatutilizes an error-based feedback controller allows a longer period oftime for completing the shut-down tasks than each of the comparativesystems represented by lines 610, 620, and 630.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the same four systems as in FIG. 6 at the hottemperature and the cold temperature, respectively. As can be observedfrom both of FIGS. 7 and 8 power back-up system that utilizes anerror-based feedback controller represented by line 740 in FIG. 7 andline 840 in FIG. 8 is able to sustain a higher voltage for a longerperiod of time than any of the comparative systems represented by lines710, 720, and 730 in FIG. 7 and lines 810, 820, and 830 in FIG. 8,respectively. Because the power back-up system that utilizes anerror-based feedback controller represented by lines 740 and 840 is ableto sustain the higher voltage for a longer period of time, this systemhas a longer time to complete the shutdown tasks than the comparativesystems represented that do not utilized an error-based feedbackcontroller.

Each inset graph in FIGS. 5-8 zoom-in on the retract process; that is,the process of moving the head to a safe location. The nonvolatile cachewrite process starts immediately after the retract which ends at thetime when the lowest Vm voltage takes place in the inset graphs. Theelectronics will fail when the Vm voltage falls below a predeterminedvoltage, e.g., 2.1V. Hence, the entire power loss process ends markingthe amount of time available from each method.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asrepresentative forms of implementing the claims.

1-21. (canceled)
 21. A method, comprising: detecting power loss to arotating motor of a storage device; in response to detecting the powerloss, performing a shut-down procedure comprising: converting a backelectromotive force of the rotating motor into a load voltage for aload, the load comprising components of the storage device, by driving,in accordance with a duty cycle, at least one switching circuit thatcouples the back electromotive force to the load through a rectifyingcircuit; generating an error signal that is a difference between theload voltage and a reference voltage; and controlling the duty cycle asa function of the error signal to cause the load voltage to approach thereference voltage.
 22. The method claim 21, wherein: converting the backelectromotive force comprises converting three back electromotive forcesthat are 120 degrees out of phase with each other.
 23. The method ofclaim 21, wherein controlling the duty cycle as a function of the errorsignal comprises controlling the duty cycle in proportion with the errorsignal.
 24. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling the duty cycleas a function of the error signal comprises controlling the duty cyclein proportion with the error signal and using a damping constantmultiplied by a derivative of the error signal.
 25. The method of claim21, wherein controlling the duty cycle as a function of the error signalcomprises controlling the duty cycle in proportion with the error signaland using an integral gain parameter multiplied an integral of the errorsignal over time.
 26. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling theduty cycle as a function of the error signal comprises controlling theduty cycle in proportion with the error signal, using a damping constantmultiplied by a derivative of the error signal, and using an integralgain parameter multiplied an integral of the error signal over time. 27.The method of claim 21, wherein the rotating motor is a spindle motor ofa hard disk drive.
 28. The method of claim 21, wherein: the componentsinclude at least a data channel controller and non-volatile cache; andperforming the shut-down procedure comprises storing data from the datacontroller into the non-volatile cache.
 29. The method of claim 21,wherein the components include at least a memory controller andnon-volatile cache; and performing the shut-down procedure comprisesstoring information that describes a state of a memory system controlledby the memory controller into the non-volatile cache.
 30. The method ofclaim 21, wherein: the components include at least a voice coil motorcoupled to an armature that bears a read/write head of the hard diskdrive; and performing the shut-down procedure comprises actuating thevoice coil motor to move the read/write head to a safety area.
 31. Apower back-up system for a storage device, comprising: circuitryconfigured to implement a shut-down process in response to loss ofpower, the shut-down process including one or more shut-down tasks; atleast one rectifier; at least one switching circuit, the at least oneswitching circuit configured to couple a back electromotive force from arotating motor to at least one component of the storage device throughthe at least one rectifying circuit; a pulse width modulator configuredto drive the switching circuit according to a duty cycle; and a controlsystem comprising: error circuitry configured to determine a differencebetween the back electromotive force and a reference voltage; and afeedback controller configured to regulate the duty cycle as a functionof the error signal to cause the back electromotive force to approachthe reference voltage.
 32. The system of claim 31, further comprising acapacitor configured to reduce ripple of the load voltage.
 33. Thesystem of claim 31, wherein the feedback controller provides a feedbackcontrol signal to the pulse width modulator in response to the errorsignal.
 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the control system includesa synchronizer configured to multiply the control signal by each ofthree sine waves that correspond to the motor speed and phase for threephases of motor rotation.
 35. The system of claim 31, wherein theregulated back electromotive force is coupled to deliver power to avoice coil motor to move an armature carrying a read/write head to asafe location relative to a magnetic disk.
 36. The system of claim 31,wherein the feedback controller is configured to implement one or moreof proportional feedback control, proportional integral feedbackcontrol, proportional integral derivative feedback control, linear,quadratic regulator control, and adaptive control.
 37. A memory system,comprising: a disk drive comprising a motor; a non-volatile cache; apower back-up system, comprising: circuitry configured to implement ashut-down process in response to loss of power, the shut-down processincluding one or more shut-down tasks; at least one rectifier; at leastone switching circuit, the at least one switching circuit configured tocouple a back electromotive force from a rotating motor to at least onecomponent of the memory system through the at least one rectifyingcircuit; a pulse width modulator configured to drive the switchingcircuit according to a duty cycle; and a control system comprising:error circuitry configured to determine a difference between the backelectromotive force and a reference voltage; and a feedback controllerconfigured to regulate the duty cycle as a function of the error signalto cause the back electromotive force to approach the reference voltage.38. The memory system of claim 37, wherein the shut-down tasks comprisemoving an armature carrying a read/write head to a predeterminedlocation in response to detection of external power loss.
 39. The memorysystem of claim 37, wherein the shut-down tasks comprise storing data tothe non-volatile cache.
 40. The memory system of claim 37, wherein theshut-down tasks comprise storing values of state parameters of thememory system to the nonvolatile cache.